Conventionally, products have been packaged in a variety of ways, many of which present various limitations, including difficulty for an end user to insert the product within the package and/or to release the product without damage or loss to the contained products. An example of conventional packaging includes packaging molded or thermoformed into a rigid or semi-rigid plastic container for holding one or more products in one or more predetermined locations in the container. Another conventional type of packaging includes a flexible pouch into which product components may be inserted. In some instances these packaging techniques may be combined. Containing products within a tray, pouch, or the like may also be supplemented by additional elements such as covers, straps, adhesive tape, or the like. The use of such additional elements, however, may not be desirable and may be cumbersome to the end user.
In particular, many packaging systems are subject to the competing desires of securely retaining and protecting products within packages during shipment and otherwise prior to use, and of enabling retained products to be quickly and easily removed from the packaging when needed. With some medical equipment, for example, it may be desirable to securely retain delicate and sterilized instruments used in medical procedures within a package for shipment and storage, yet enable those instruments to be removed as quickly and effortlessly as possible during the medical procedures.
Further, environmental concerns remain an important concern in the packaging industry, so it is also desirable to minimize waste associated with packaging systems both in connection with the manufacture of packaging and its disposal and/or recycling after use.